Koli National Park offers diverse outdoor opportunities. There are approximately 80 kilometers of marked trails, so everyone can find a suitable one regardless of their fitness level or interest. The varying elevations in Koli provide a challenge even for experienced hikers. Different seasons also add their own flavor to outdoor activities. You can enjoy outdoor activities through various kinds of activities.
Summer Season
The summer season offers access to various hiking and trekking trails where you can admire the stunning and diverse nature of Koli. In the vicinity of the Koli hills, you can enjoy the outdoors and national landscapes on routes such as the Huippujen and Kolinuuro trails. The 7.5-kilometer Mäkrä loop also provides an unforgettable experience of Koli’s nature.
Near the Koli hills, there are several different nature trails. On the Harbor Trail, you can enjoy the services of the Koli harbor, the old forests and slope groves of Ipatinvaaran. Along the route, near the hotel, you will also find a sacrificial fissure, a site protected by the Antiquities Act as a place of storytelling. In addition to admiring the hills and the cultural environment of Vaaralanaho, the Village Trail offers a glimpse into Koli’s settlement and cultural history through the Mattila and Vaarala estates. The Kaskenkierros introduces idyllic heritage landscapes where you can learn about the history of slash-and-burn agriculture and may see caretakers of the heritage landscapes, such as sheep, Eastern Finncattle, or horses.
Once a year, a slash-and-burn fire is lit at Koli. This helps maintain and flourish the heritage landscape. It is a spectacular event to watch, and you can even participate if you wish.
Even the most demanding outdoor enthusiasts can challenge themselves in Koli’s nature. On the Herajärvi trail, you can immerse yourself in the Koli forests for days, listen to the babbling brooks, and test your endurance as you conquer the hills. On the Kiehinen trail, you can challenge yourself and enjoy many sights, including the Pirunkirkko cave.
In addition to hiking, summer offers opportunities for canoeing, boating, horseback riding, and cycling. These activities allow you to see Koli from many different perspectives. Right near the village, you can also enjoy the outdoors with mini-golf. It´s also possible to challenge your friends for a round of frisbeegolf in the ski slopes.
Winter Season
The winter season gives you the chance to enjoy Koli as a winter wonderland. Hills resting under a blanket of snow take you to Ukko-Koli in a picture-postcard landscape. There is no winter maintenance on the peaks, but they remain open thanks to the trail trodden by hikers. One of the ways to enjoy the peaks is snowshoeing.
The Koli ski resort is also a winter highlight for speed lovers. More than 80 years ago, the first daredevils skied on the slopes of Koli, and even today Koli offers a stunning setting for skiing. There are seven slopes of different levels. In the lift, you can admire the national landscape with a blanket of snow between descents.
In winter, it’s also worth putting on your cross-country skis and enjoying the clean snow. There are three and seven kilometre circular trails in the National Park. You can ski longer routes in the surrounding area and expand your knowledge of the Koli region at the same time. There are two skiing events in Koli – Maisemahiihto and Ahmanhiihto- which will delight skiing enthusiasts.
Horse riding does not depend on the season. Even in winter, you can enjoy the horsepower on, for example, Icelandic horses in pasture. For more horsepower, try snowmobiling on Koli’s great trails.
If hiking is your thing, the Koli village trail is kept open in winter too. You can even enjoy a cup of coffee by the campfire while you’re on the trail.